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Building blueprints for drug-producing enzymes: A Q&A with Chu-Young Kim
A new review article co-authored by Chu-Young Kim, Professor of Biochemistry, discusses the architecture of modular polyketide synthases (PKS), a type of enzyme found in various organisms that synthesize widely...
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Unprecedented Compound Takes a Step Toward Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common form of breast cancer, affecting approximately 75 percent of breast cancer patients. In advanced and metastatic form, it is lethal, claiming the lives of nearly 350,000 individuals annually. Presently, no drug is able to eradicate these...
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Researchers demonstrate new cancer drug development method
Researchers from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago collaborated to highlight lipid-protein interaction as a new avenue for oncology drug development.
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Researchers discover previously undetected role of protein in peptide biosynthesis
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered an unexpected reaction within a protein family. Their findings, which were recently published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, could have dramatic implications for the development of future therapeutics.
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New faculty members begin teaching and research at U of I
The College of LAS is welcoming 38 new professors for the 2022-23 academic year. Their new positions range from clinical professors to assistant professors and an endowed position in more than 20 academic units, ranging from African American studies to economics, philosophy, statistics, and several...
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Researchers determine Pol III “identity” as important regulatory mechanism and likely disease factor in cancer
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a link between RNA polymerase III subunit composition and transcription, an advancement that has potential implications for future cancer research. Their findings were published in...
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Mining microbial genomes to discover natural products
The world around us contains many chemicals that are useful for medicines, crop protection, and animal health. These chemicals—known as natural products—have typically been discovered by sheer luck. Unsurprisingly, traditional techniques often find the same products, like antibiotics, repeatedly...
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Meet Kevin Van Bortle, assistant professor of cell and developmental biology
The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology are thrilled to welcome new faculty member Kevin Van Bortle! He joins us from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he conducted his postdoctoral research. We recently spoke with him about...
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New approach eradicates breast cancer in mice
A new approach to treating breast cancer kills 95-100% of cancer cells in mouse models of human estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers and their metastases in bone, brain, liver and lungs. The newly developed drug, called ErSO, quickly shrinks even large tumors to undetectable levels.
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Researchers structurally characterize a dual-function transporter
The regulation of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter abundant in the central nervous system, is critical for maintaining normal brain function. Glutamate regulation is achieved via extracellular transport of the amino acid. There are two primary classes of proteins involved in the transport...